Planter



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 1.

J. L. MURDOGK. PLANTER, CHOPPER, AND GULTIVATOR.

No. 443,298. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

M T N E v. w

Jbseph L. Jlfurdack.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J.- L. MURDOOK. PLANTER, GHOPPER, AND OULTIVATOR.

No. 443,293. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

ATTEST. l/WE/l/TOB.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3. 'J. L. MURDOGK.

PLANTER, CHOPPER, AND GULTIVATOR. v No. 443,293. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

Al m: I

III

A TTEST. llYVE/VTOR- NITED STATES JOSEPH LAFAYETTE MURDOCK, OF ANDERSON COUNTY, TEXAS.

PLANTER, CHOPPER,

AND CU LTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,293, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed December 28, 1889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH LAFAYETTE- MURDOGK, residing in the county of Anderson and State of Texas, have invented Improvements in a Combined Planter and Cultivator, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for seeding and cultivating corn, cotton, and similar crops. The object thereof is the construction of a combined planter and cultivator, including a cotton-chopper, which object I attain by means of the mechanism hereinafter de scribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a front end View, partly in section, through the line so a; of Fig. 1. Fig. .t is a detail of the cam-wheel P. Fig. 5 is a view in section of the seeder-drum through the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of seederdrum through the line at m of Fig. 5. Fig. '7 is a detail of the chopper. Fig. 8 is a detail'of the markers, and Fig. 9 is a detail of the plow used in opening furrows for seed.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The frame-work of my machine consists of the axle G, Fig. 3, mounted upon wheels 13 B, into and through which are fitted the hounds O C, Fig. 1, and tongue D, the latter projecting rearwardly and forming a support for the fulcrum of the lever N and foot-rest E, Figs. 1 and 2. Across the tongue D, and resting thereon and rigidly attached thereto just forward of the wheels 13 B, is the piece H, Fig. 1, extending from the inner edge of wheel to wheel.

I I are the longitudinal supports of the crosspiece Y, resting upon and secured to the rear ends thereof, which in turn supports the seat F and part of the machinery for controlling the covering-plows 44 4A. The longitudinal supports I I are rigidly fastened in front to cross-piece H, and rest upon and are also rigidly attached to axle G a little forward of their center.

The cross-head X is firmly supported over axle G by the vertical standards W V, Fig.

3, which are mortised into the axle. The object of the cross-head X is to support devlce Serial No. $35,284:. (N0 model.)

for securing and controlling independently the automatic action of the choppers b. It also affords a convenient support for the rack or stop K and lover N. It is raised above axle G, so as to give room for free play to the spring V, which forms the flexible handle of chopper Z).

My planting or seeding devices consist of the removable droppers or seed-drums A A, one of which is shown in place in Figs. 1 and 3 and in detail in section in Figs. 5 and 6, the removable plow 0 (shown in detail in Fig. 9) for opening furrows into which seed is dropped,'and the double plows 44 H for covering seed, (shownin Figs. 1 and 2,) having levers .5 and 45, connected with said plows by link R, (shown in Fig. 2,) and which may control the action of each pair of such double covering-plows for lateral adjustment at the will of the driver. The droppers and openingplows are in duplicate, one to be attached on each side of machine when used as a seeder. The dropper or seeding-drum is hollow except at the hub,through which thespindle of axle G and hub of wheel B are intended to pass, and when in use is rigidly but removably attached to the supporting-wheels B B in any of the well'known ways and moves therewith. It is supplied with the covered opening 12, Fig. 5, through which it is charged with seed. In its periphery are orifices 13, equidistant and at suitable intervals, through which seed drops by gravity into the-furrow prepared for its reception by plow 0-, located immediately in front of that part of the seedingdrum or dropper containing the orifices for the escape of the seed and attached by any suitable means by the plow-standard to cross-piece H, so that it may be readily detached. It may be secured in a mortise 59 by the removable wedge 58, as shown in the drawings, Fig. 1.

Following the seeding drum or dropper are the double plows 4:4, which straddle the furrow made by plow c and cover the seed dropped by the seeding-drum A. These plows 4:4: are attached to the axle G by means of the clevis L, having quadruplicate receptacles for beams of the plows, so that they may be adjusted laterally at different distances. Clevis L is supported by arm 14 and braced by the rods 15 and 16, respectively, against axle G and longitudinal supports 1 I. Plows l4 4-]: are

raised and lowered at the will of operator by means of lever N, fulerumed at 17, Fig. 1, upon the rearward projection of tongue I), having link 18, Fig. 2, attached to couplingrod J, Figs. 1 and 2. The ends of rod J are round and work easily in the holes prepared for their reception in each of the beams of the inner plows 11 1-1. This coupling-rod serves to steady the plows 11 -11, as well as to assist in raising or lowering them, as described. Levers l7, pivoted at the end of rod 19, Figs. 1 and 2, connected with plow by link Q, Fig. 2, are designed to raise or lower the plows l1 it when independent action is desired. The plows 44' are coupled in pairs by the bolts 21, Fig. 1. Blocks working loosely upon this belt serve to hold link Q near the center of said bolt, to which said joint is at taehed. The rack K, fasten ed on top of cross head X, is designed to receive the ratchet or catch 23 on lever N, forming a stop for such lever to hold plows in a desired position.

In order to secure a good stand, cotton is planted thicker than it will thrive. Thinning the rows is therefore a necessary incident in its cultivation. This process is called chopping out. My appliance for accomplishing this consists of the removable camwheels P, adjustable on the axle G, one of which is shown in position in the drawings, Figs. 1 and 3, and in detail in Fig. 4-. The hoe b is shown in Fig. 3, having flexible handle V, the upper end of which is fastened to block 24, having slot 25 to receive the same, and set-screw 2b to fix and hold it ad justably in place. The handle V slides into the slot 25, and may be held at any desired heightby the set-screw. The slot in. block 21 is inclined from a vertical line and gives to the handle V an outward direction. The cam-wheels, chopping-hoes, and handles are in duplicate, and are attached to each side of the machine when in use as a chopper. The cam-wheels P are rigidly attached when in use to hubs of wheels I l) in any of the well-known ways and move with them; but they are removable. As the wheels 15 B and camsl revolve, the handles Y are given a regular and alternating motion, first slowly backward and iiiward, then when released quickly forward and outward, and deliver a blow in force proportioned to the strength of the spring formed by the flexible handle. By the cam movement it is again retracted and released alternately as the machine progresses. It is evident that the hoe attached to the lower end of handle Y striking a stalk of cotton in the manner described will sever or cut it off.

To prevent the chopper from cutting at undesirable times, I supply the lever 4.8, Fig. 3, mounted on top of cross-head X, having handle near to and within reach of the driver when seated on seat F. I connect the forward end of this lever with the chopper-handle V by means of the rope 27, passing through orifice 28 in crosshead X and over anti-friction rollers 29, playing in support 19 therefor,

resting on tongue between hounds C C. By pressing upon this lever the hoe is retracted and may be held so or let go at will, so that the automatic chopping may be arrested at any time.

The rod f, Fig. 2, is for ln'aeing additionally the seat F and the machinery attached to cross-piece Y. A similar rod is supplied on the opposite side. (Not shown in drawings.)

The cultivating-plows 50, one of which is shown in place in Fig. 2, are detachable and designed to straddle the row and throw the ground away from the crop and clean off weeds. These plows are in duplicate and are so attached when in use. They consist of double shovels 30 30, pivoted at 31 by a bolt through single supporting shaft 32 and coupled together by rods 33. The supporting-shaft is provided with a stop 35, which prevents the shovels from being carried back too far by resistance of the ground. By being thus pivoted the shovels may be raised, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and held there by any convenient means when temporarily in disuse, as in passing from field to field. On the ends of a cross-piece II are secured scrapers 3b 36, Fig. 1, in front of wheels B B and designed to keep the wheels clean,

37 37 are vertical markers adjustable laterally on horizontal bars by means of setserews 38 38 in blocks 39 80, the said bars supporting the markers and being pivoted upon screws at 41 and resting 011 stop 42. (See detail, Fig. 8.) When not in use, the markers may be retracted by carrying the loose end of the supporting-bars 4O upward and over till the bar will rest against the stop 43. In Fig. 8 the marker is shown in place and also shown retracted in dotted lines.

51, Fig. 1, is a tool-box of the ordinary pattern resting on the tongue and hounds back of cross-piece ll.

The motive power designed to be used is horses or mules, to be attached by the ordb nary means to doubletree M, Fig. 1.

When it is desirable to use the seeder, the plow 50, chopping-hoe and handle, cam-Wheel, and, if desirable, lever 48 may be removed, seeding-drum, taking the place of the cam wheel. lVhen desired to be used for chopping,the seeding-drums must be removed and cam-wheels substituted, the chopping-hoe and handle and lever 4:8 put in place. lVhen desirable, plow may be removed and double shovel-plow 50 substituted instead. At the same time plows ll 14. may be carried clear of the ground or put into use, as the needs of the operator may demand. \Vhen not needed for marking purposes, the markers should be carried, retracted, or wholly removed, which may be done by unscrewing bar 40 at its pivotal attachment.

Having thus described my invention, what? I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a planter and cultivator, the axle G,

having elongated spindles adapted to receive interchangeably the cam-wheels P and the seeding-drums A, rigidly but. removably attached to the hubs of the supporting-wheels and moving therewith, in combination with the said supporting-wheels B B, as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a planter and cultivator, the combination of the axle G, supporting-wheels B B, vertical standards WV W, cross-head X, block, 24, flexible handle V, adjustable in block 24, and chopping-hoe b, as and for the purposes described.

3. In a planter and cultivator, the combination of the axle G,Wheels B B, removable camwheels P, attached to hubs of wheels B B, the flexible handle V, fastened at its upper end, and hoe b, operating as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination of the lever 48, rope 27, passing through orifices 28 in cross-head X and over the fricti0n=rollers 29, chopping-hoe b, and flexible handle V, operating as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a planter and cultivator, a cotton=chopper consisting of the hoe Z) and a flexible handle fastened at its upper end in the inclined slot 25, automatically actuated by the cam wheel P, attached to the hub of and moving with the supporting-Wheels B B, as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a planter and cultivator, the combination of the axle G, wheels B B, vertical standards WV IV, cross-head X, lateral supports I I, rack K, lever N, ratchet 23, link 18, coupling-rod J, plows 44, bolt 21, clevis L, and arm 14, as and for the purposes specified.

7. In a planter and cultivator, in combination with a cross-piece H, located in front of Wheels B B, the removable double plow 50, consisting of double shovels 3O 30, pivoted at 31 by bolt through supporting-shaft 32, coupled by rods 33, the supporting-shaft 32, and stop 35, as and for the purposes specified.

JOSEPH LAFAYETTE MURDOCK.

Witnesses:

D. P. ISBY, JAMES W. BRYAN, O. P. QUARLEs. 

